Spring Green
by Merlin Missy
Summary: How the youngest Lantern in the history of the Corps got his ring. Companion piece to BillA1's 'The Councilman's Wife'


Spring Green  
a Batman Beyond / JLU drabble series  
by Merlin Missy  
Copyright 2006  
PG

DC and Warner Bros. own the characters and situations. I'm just playing with their toys.

This story is a companion piece to **billa1**'s The Councilman's Wife, and set in the R 'Verse. Many thanks to **dotfic** for the beta.

Summary: How the youngest Lantern in the history of the Corps got his ring.

* * *

Galtre-Re does not like change. He has worn the ring since Rayner's death fifteen years ago and has lived here all his life, save for his training.

Now everything is in upheaval. He may lose his home to this long-lost stranger.

When Stewart tells Re his story, Re remembers when the ring chose him. He reads that confusion in Stewart's eyes, agrees to let him stay for additional training. Three years.

Re is patrolling Proxima Centauri when the pirates attack. He thinks that death is one great change and he's positive he's not going to like it, either.

* * *

Green isn't Aislynn's color, clashing with her crimson pelt, but she likes the power. Five years to train, and then she is given sector 872 for her own, but she misses her homeworld.

Finally, sector 2814 needs her, as Stewart is recalled to Oa to train new recruits. She patrols Earth when she has to, but it has the League, so Aislynn spends her time at home. Terrans rarely see her.

The climbers she tries to rescue, trapped atop their Himalayan goal, shy away from her in fear, and she misses the signs of the avalanche until it's too late.

* * *

The Temple of Nanda Parbat has always maintained a pleasant if distant relationship with the nearby village. They trade goods and gossip, the monks perform weddings and funerals. In lean years, the poorest villagers bring male infants to the temple rather than keep them to starve, and the monks raise their youngest brothers.

He is a foundling like many others, four years old, playing in the temple garden between studies and prayers. He hears it first like a quiet song, and curiosity pulls him. Nestled beneath the milkweed, he spies a twinkling green ring.

It fits his tiny finger perfectly.

* * *

Although the ring has occasionally chosen younger candidates, it has been because they belonged to species who lived but ten or fifteen standard years. None have ever been so immature. Malivis has to bend down to the wide-eyed boy standing calmly beside Stewart.

"There has been some mistake," he tells the child. "We will give the ring to someone older. Perhaps in time, you ... "

As he touches the ring, he is hit with massive power. The boy hasn't moved, but Malivis is thrown across the room. A quickly hidden smirk crosses Stewart's face.

Malivis stands. "We will ... discuss this."

* * *

Due to his age, he is allowed to be trained on Earth. The order maintains a small temple --- a house really --- in Metropolis and he lives with the three monks there, learning the duties of his order from them, and the duties of a Lantern from Stewart.

He lives at the Metrotower briefly, right after Stewart discovers how spartan the conditions are at the temple. Mumbling angrily about child neglect, Stewart finds him a room, a bed, and a few soft toys. Kai gives the toys to a shelter and sleeps on the floor until Stewart finally takes him home.

* * *

John isn't sure what to make of the kid. He's absorbed everything like a thirsty sponge. He can control his ring like a part of his own body. Some Lanterns take decades to find that balance; sometimes John thinks he still hasn't.

Shayera is getting restless. She's spent half her life in space but can't even walk down the street on Earth. With a new Lantern here, John could go anywhere with her. Kai-Ro will be ready for his own sector soon. John's thinking it ought to be this one.

He watches his trainee practice, and he begins to plan.

* * *

Stewart's son is ten years Kai's senior, and Kai is aware that he's been ordered to take Kai under his wing, so to speak. Teach him the ropes, show him how we do things, watch his back. At fifteen, Rex is already a part-time member of the League. He's as reckless as his mother, and Kai gets him out of trouble as often as Rex saves him. It's like friendship.

After a fight with Parasite without his ring, Rex asks him how he learned to move like that. Kai assents, eventually, to teach him. The irony doesn't escape him.

* * *

There's no ceremony when Shayera hands over the name she's used these past twenty years to their son. One night, he comes back to the Tower as Hawkboy, the next day he goes on a mission as Warhawk. Privately, Rex tells his father he prefers the jetpack anyway; Hall's old wing harness always competed with Rex's atrophied wing muscles.

At last, Kai tells John: "Green Lantern, I relieve you."

John responds, "I stand relieved." It only hurts a little to release his ring to go seek someone new.

Then Shayera takes his hand and rubs his other ring. "Let's go."

* * *

Clark believes in magic, because he's been surrounded by it most of his life. Some of his dearest friends have been sorcerers. Magic is normal, exhibiting more forms than he used to realize.

An example: J'onn is barely part-time these days, but comes for vital missions. This is important.

For then they have Superman, and the Martian, and Wonder Woman, and Batman, and Flash, and a Hawk and a Green Lantern. Barda and Virgil are there too, and Mari's son and Arthur's daughter, but to Clark it's always about the Lucky Seven, and the magic that goes on forever.

* * *

Now go read Bill's story.


End file.
